Black Butler: The Reaper and the Raven
by BlackButlerFan13
Summary: The Jack the Ripper case hadn't been the first time Sebastian met the Grim Reaper, William T. Spears. What happened between them less than a century before that William doesn't remember? And what happened that caused Sebastian so much hurt? WilliamXSebastian Yaoi and mpreg in later chapters.(for the Seb X Will: Claude fandom) some OOCness, Character death. PLEASE REVIEW!
1. Prologue

Prologue

That night was when the memoires came back.

It was that night, not so long ago, when the young master and I were out investigating the Jack the Ripper case. Two people were now dead, Ciel was injured, and so was I. But just the same, I was caught up in a duel with a Grim Reaper, who had been posing as an incompetent butler to Madam Red all along.

Dodging his death scythe while fighting and trying to ignore his love-struck chattering proved to be quite a challenge. Even though it wasn't so taxing on my body to leap and duck and summersault backwards and left and right to avoid any further injuries, being able to strike back without being fazed by talk of "feelings" or "passion" or "babies" proved to be rather difficult… because having "feelings" for a Reaper and feeling "passion" for a Reaper and even things of "babies" with a Reaper brought up too many painful memories; and having this red-haired pervert stir them up only made me all the angrier.

That anger distracted me long enough to allow Grell—this love-struck Reaper—to ramble on about this fight lasting forever; permanently lit by the glow of the moon. And when I least expected it, he thrust his head forward, bashing his skull against my own. I could feel blood trail down the side of my face and I found myself in a daze. The next thing I knew, I could taste blood in my mouth—my own blood—and a large gash ripping across my torso. My life flashed before my eyes, but each image was brief and consisted mostly of the four other servants of the Phantomhive household and their bothersome mistakes.

Of course, that's what my everyday life had been like for the past two years, but I wasn't willing to allow such a vulgar being like Grell Sutcliff to view anything further.

My clothes, now ruined—my tailcoat, past mending—became the only useful tool I had left to best that blasted death scythe of Grell's. The scythe's power came from its rotating teeth that lined the blade. With no hope left for my tailcoat, I jammed the scythe's rotating blade with its thick, black fabric. It wouldn't matter how hard that annoying pest yanked and pulled on the coat to get it out. His fancy, special weapon was utterly useless, leaving him with nothing to fight with but his fists.

Of course, with this, I gained the upper hand. Grell, seemingly lost without his precious scythe, was quickly reduced to a whimpering, blubbering, bloody pulp.

"I must say, this is much nicer." I purred, "I prefer kicking to being kicked."

Whatever noises were coming out of that Reaper's mouth, they weren't any words I could make out. I was fluent in a vast number of languages, but of all the languages I could understand, Gibberish was not one of them.

"We finally found something you're good at: screaming. Very well done." I said, raising his death scythe over my head and revving the blade; having freed the tailcoat from its rotating teeth with a simple tug, "As a reward, I shall kill you with this cherished little toy of yours."

"No, please stop! Don't kill me." Grell whimpered, finally making words I could understand, "I can tell you who killed the kid's parents!"

If Grell would have said something sooner, I would have taken those words into consideration, but it was too late for that now as I brought the rotating scythe down…

… Only to have it clash with another death scythe; one that I was all too familiar with.

"I apologize for interrupting." A far off voice said; it too sounding all too familiar, "My name is William T. Spears: an administrator at the Grim Reaper Staffing Association. I've come to retrieve that Reaper _there_."

'I know who you are and why you're here.' I thought to myself; anger beginning to fill my chest.

William leaped down from the building he was perched on, landing right on top of Grell, who was now face-planted into the cobblestone surface of the street. He began to read off several of Grell's violations; killing people not on the To-Die List, using at customized death scythe without authorization, and threatening to reveal strictly classified information.

'Really, Will? Is work still the only thing that matters to you?'

William eventually hopped off of Grell and dipped his head to me. A _Reaper_ bowing to a _demon_. It was _unheard of_!

"I'm sorry for all the trouble this wretch has caused." He said, handing me his business card, which I promptly took. I didn't so much care about the card. I was more surprised by the fact that William was still bowing his head to me.

"Honestly…" he continued, "I never thought I'd see the day when I had to bow my head to demon scum like you."

The way he said it made me think he still remembered something, forcing a slight smile to cross my face. That smile quickly vanished as he finished.

"This is a disgrace to all Grim Reapers."

"Then perhaps you should keep a close eye on your minions," I said, tossing the business card aside, "so they don't trouble us."

I was desperate to change the topic. Everything that had come out of William's mouth reminded me of what had happened between us not a century ago.

"Humans are so easily tempted." I said, "They will do anything when in the grip of utter despair. They will grasp onto any thread that promises to save them from unhappiness… no matter what the consequences. _You_ should know that."

At last, William straightened up, "That's a charming little piece of information. You demons seem to capitalize on that fact more often than we do."

"Hm, that I cannot deny."

William then turned to Ciel, who was still knelt on the ground beside Madam Red's body.

"Right now, you seem to be a tame dog. That makes you _far_ less dangerous than the rapid mongrels running around free."

A dog. Of all things, he compares me to a dog. I was at my wit's end with William.

He turned to walk away, dragging Grell by his hair along with him. he mumbled something about being shorthanded and overtime and how "The Board" was not going to be pleased.

It was all my nerves could take, and it was then that I realized I was still holding Grell's death scythe.

'Honestly, William…' my arm lifted and I flung the scythe at him, somewhat hoping—yet at the same time, not—that the blade would run him through, 'Can you think of nothing else but work?'

William was able to catch the blade between two fingers; an indication that his senses were still sharp and he still had a respectable amount of strength.

I forced a smile, "I assume you'll want that, yes?"

"Yes, thank you…" William replied in a dull tone and adjusting his glasses for the twentieth time since his arrival, "Now, if you'll _please_ excuse us…"

And with that, William left.

I sighed, but not from exhaustion. The emotional hurt from all those years ago had completely surfaced.

'Why William? Why do you hate me now? Why don't you remember what happened. What happened on… on _that day_?'


	2. Chapter 1: Saved By a Demon

Chapter 1: Saved By a Demon

The day was sunny and bright; nothing new to William as he looked over the town from the view of a high rooftop. It was something that helped pass the time. His eyes locked onto people scattered about while he sorted the familiar faces from those he had never seen before. He particularly hated foreigners, especially those with a dark, black aura about them.

Demons.

The law for Grim Reapers, when it narrowed down to those beings, was "Kill on sight!" And William had done well to obey the law. Demons were thieves that took the souls of the human population, and human souls were as valuable as gold in the eyes of the Grim Reapers. So killing a demon—which could save an uncountable number of souls—hardly troubled him.

Looking at the clock, William knew the next human on his To-Die List wasn't scheduled for death for another three hours. He figured he could afford to rest for about two hours before he would have to track his human again.

William leaped down into an alley below. Even though his kind was able to blend in with the human population better than the other types of immortals that existed, the abilities he possessed still attracted way too much attention. He could leap from the streets to the highest rooftop with a hard push on his foot, and he could leap back down and land perfectly on both feet without sustaining any injuries. He had to be careful when he moved around town this way, or he could risk losing his job if he got caught. He had only been a full Grim Reaper for twenty-five years, and he wasn't ready to give up the job now.

As he touched down in the alley, William was instantly aware of the fact that he wasn't alone. He could sense their auras and he knew they were demons… and there were eight of them. He knew he couldn't battle that many immortals at once and he suddenly realized his limbs were shaking—but only slightly—with fear.

"Look what decided to drop in…" a cold voice said from behind him, "a Grim Reaper."

"A full Grim Reaper." Another said, "He has a death scythe."

"But he's still so young… he shouldn't be any trouble."

More and more voices joined the clash of snide remarks, and William found himself unable to sort them. They were all male, he was sure of that, but he couldn't make out a single tone that could identify an individual.

Instantly, William found himself surrounded by eight large demons, and despite their differences in appearance, they all sounded exactly the same.

"What should we do with him?" a demon with short brown hair asked.

"I say we kill him now!" another said, one that bore mismatched eyes; one blue, the other brown.

"I say we torture him!" a third with a facial scar remarked, "Let's make him swallow his own scythe."

In the midst of the demon horde's argument, William attempted to escape, only to be pinned down by the brown-haired demon. N the ground, he was powerless to move.

"Let's just kill him." the demon said, "It's all he's ever done to our own kind."

William had lost his grip on his death scythe, and the next time he caught a glimpse of it, it was in the mismatched-eyed demon's hands, positioned so the blade would run through the Reaper's chest. He tried to struggle free, but there was a demon pinning down each of his limbs.

"How does it feel, Reaper?" the brown-haired demon asked in a dark tone, "How do you think all those other demons felt right before you ran you scythe clean through their chest? They never brought harm to you or any of your kind, did they? Maybe next time you'll think of something other than your job!"

The mismatched-eyed demon brought the scythe down. A scream hit the air, but it wasn't William's.

As William looked up, he was surprised to find a ninth demon had joined the group. Only this demon was different. Although two of the other eight demons bore long hair, this demon's hair was longer; stretching down to the middle of his back in a ponytail and the hair was the darkest shade of black William had ever seen. The color of the demon's eyes also differed from those of the others. While their eyes bore a wide variety of blues, greens, browns, golds, and greys, the Ninth demon's eyes were as red as garnets and they carried a stare that could freeze a soul. He was taller and better built and the look he was carrying on his face made it clear that he wasn't pleased with what he was seeing.

The brown-haired demon was lying at his feet, bleeding from a wound in his side.

"Who the hell is this guy?" the mismatched-eyed demon asked. Those were the only words that left his mouth before the Ninth demon forced William's death scythe out of the younger male's hands and ran him through.

The air filled with shouts and screams and curses and, eventually, with blood. It was over in a matter of minutes, and in the end the Ninth demon was the only demon left alive; the other eight lying dead at his feet in bloody heaps.

It was something William had never seen before. A demon had just saved him from being murdered by a pack of eight. Whoever this demon was, he wasn't one to be trifled with…

… And that's exactly what William was afraid of. Did this demon just kill the others so he could kill the Reaper himself?

The demon turned from the bloody mess to William. His face held no emotion as he began to approach the stunned Reaper.

"That's close enough, you vile creature!" William shouted.

To his surprise, the demon obeyed and stopped. He was obedient and listened, something he thought was impossible for the creatures, and William could only guess that this demon was in a contract. Uncontracted demons were less obedient and hardly listened to anyone but their own conscience.

Finally the demon nodded to him, "Are you alright?"

The question had William startled. Most demons did care about the welfare of other beings, especially Reapers.

William responded with a nod, "I'm fine."

The demon's gaze veered from William to the death scythe that was still firmly gripped in his hand. With a light toss, the scythe landed at William's feet.

"I just assumed you'd want that back." The demon said before turning and kicking himself back up to the rooftops, leaving William behind.

The Ninth demon didn't even sound like the other eight. His voice had been deeper and smoother, unlike those of the others whose voices held a slight snarl to them, giving them a slightly raspy sound. This demon could walk and talk like a hum, and better yet he hadn't attacked William after he had killed the other eight demons. He knew if he wanted to, the demon could have easily joined in with the frenzy, and he could be dead right now.

William stood up and leaped to the roof of the building the demon had sprung onto when he left. He could still see the long-haired demon sprinting away. William knew that was the way demons preferred to travel; by running swiftly on foot across rooftops or street surfaces rather than clear a quarter mile in a single jump like the Reapers. He ran after the demon, who eventually vanished from his sights when he leapt into the streets.

William stopped at the building the demon had leaped down from and watched.

He could see the demon in front of a flower shop, sorting a wide variety of roses, carnations, orchids, and lilies into various holding containers. William hummed at the thought of the demon being contracted to a florist and working in his or her shop. It sounded like a humiliating position for a demon to be in. But Will knew better. Demons could be contracted to anyone, even to other demons.

William lowered himself from the building to the street wasn't his policy to ignore a person who helped him, even though this person _was_ a demon. So he would thank him and then move on.

"Excuse me." he spoke up, gaining the demon's attention.

"Oh, it's you." The demon remarked, "What do you want?"

There was a mutual understanding between the demons and the Reapers. If they stayed out of each other's way, no one would be harmed, fights wouldn't break out, and there'd be no arguments.

"I just wanted to thank you for saving me in that alley back there." William said.

"You're welcome." The demon replied, "Even though you death god's hate us, I couldn't simply allow that pack of mangy newborns to kill you."

"Newborns?"

"Recently formed demons that were under a year old. Their first instinct is to kill instead of contract. The only way to put a stop to their violence is to either drag them back to Hell to mature or to simply kill them."

William nodded, "I've never seen you around London before, though. Are you new here?"

The demon nodded, "I was contracted yesterday. This is where my master works."

"And your name?"

"Sebastian Michaelis."

"My name is William T. Spears, an administrator at the Grim Reaper Staffing Association."

The two immortals shook hands.

"Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, William T. Spears." Sebastian said, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I should get back to work."

William nodded, "Very well, I'm on the clock, too."

As William left, Sebastian felt a stir in one of the pockets of his trousers. As he reached in, his fingers met a thick slip of paper. He yanked it out of the pocket and looked it over.

It was a business card and Sebastian hummed at name printed at the top.

'William T. Spears'


	3. Chapter 2: Advice from Pops

Chapter 2: Advice from Pops

After he had finished his work for the day, William sat behind his desk to catch up on his paperwork. However, he found the task difficult as his mind began to wander. He found he couldn't stop thinking about the demon, Sebastian. He had never encountered a demon who could behave so human-like. It made him pleasant to be around. Even so, he was still a demon. If nothing else, William figured Sebastian had his true nature hidden deep within himself to make himself look more pleasant around his contractor.

Despite knowing this, however, William couldn't help but think fondly of Sebastian. He had gone to great lengths to save him and had asked for nothing in return; something else he had deemed impossible for demons. Demons never did business with anyone unless they'd get something in return.

All of the questions began to pile up in William's head, forcing him to turn away from his paperwork and exit his office. He only knew one Reaper who could possibly give him answers.

William walked briskly to the eyeglass department. The only person in the room at the time was Pops: the one Reaper who built and designed the glasses of the full Reapers. The pair of black, rectangular framed glasses William wore had been made by him, and working closely with him had built a good amount of trust between them.

Pops' attention veered from the glasses he was working on to William as the younger Reaper entered the room.

"Do you need something, William?" he asked, "You look troubled."

"I've got a lot on my mind, is all." William said.

"Well, I've got time to spare. Tell me what's bothering you."

William sat in a chair across from Pops and sighed, "In town this afternoon, I came into contact with a demon horde."

"How many were there?" Pops asked, slightly concerned by the situation.

"There were eight, and despite trying to get away, they managed to pin me to the ground. And then, right before they could kill me, a ninth demon appeared. I thought he would join in with them, but instead he killed them all with my own scythe. After that, a few words were exchanged, he returned my death scythe, and then he left."

Pops seemed puzzled by the situation, "What did this ninth demon look like?"

"He had the longest black hair I've ever seen on a male demon. He had red eyes, he was tall, and he was better built than the horde that attacked me."

"Was his skin pale; slightly paler than what you'd find normal for any individual?"

William nodded.

"Was his name Sebastian Michaelis?"

A shocked expression crossed William's face, "How did you know?"

"I've seen him before. He's not like the other demons, never has been. He lets us do our work and stays out of our way, and he even lends a hand from time to time."

"So his behavior isn't just a façade? It's not just because he's contracted to the florist in town?"

Pops shook his head, "He one of the world's oldest living demons. I shouldn't be telling you this, William, but I would get to know Sebastian well, if I were you. It's not a bad idea to keep him as an ally, especially if he's not afraid or unwilling to risk his butt for you."

For a Reaper to become familiar with a demon, it was something that was unheard of for William's kind. But he knew he couldn't ignore the advice from an elder Reaper. If Pops was right, it would mean that Sebastian wouldn't be a threat to him, and it would also mean he wouldn't be attacked by a pack of rabid newborns anytime soon.

William nodded to the older Reaper and excused himself, deciding to go back to his office and work on his paperwork now that his conscience had been cleared. But as William entered his office, another Reaper followed behind him with a large, hardcover book in his hands.

"The To-Die Lists for this month have arrived, Mr. Spears."

William nodded to the thin Reaper with short brown hair, "Thank you, Alan."

"By the way, the boss wanted me to remind you to take a look at Number 281. Apparently that person is contracted to a demon. Boss says he wants us to harvest that soul before the demon does."

William was caught off guard by the statement and he quickly found the number and the name.

Giles Miller. Age, 42. Current Residence: London. Contracted to an elder demon. Scheduled to die at 12:35 pm.

If this was the man contracted to Sebastian, he had no idea what effects this could have on him.

What _would_ happen to a demon if their master was killed before the contract was completed?


	4. Chapter 3: Is it Love?

Chapter 3: Is it Love?

That next morning, William found himself perched atop the same building that stood in front of the flower shop, watching Sebastian work. Pops had told him to get to know the demon better so he would have an ally. But Will had to be honest with himself. The thought of befriending a demon—even one that had saved his life—disgusted him. Reaper had never liked demons, and as a result, demons didn't particularly like Reapers. But William also had to admit that forming a friendship with this demon could lessen the strain on the relationship between Reapers and demons as a whole.

And there was something else William was noticing about the way he thought of Sebastian, as well. He noticed he couldn't look away from the demon. There was something about him that made him… happy—even though he knew it was better to keep emotions out of the workplace. Could it be love? No, no, that's just absurd! He couldn't fall in love with a demon.

At least that's what William told himself.

He lowered himself from the building into the street and slowly approached Sebastian. He hadn't even begun to think about what he would say to the demon, let alone how he'd manage to befriend him.

"Ah, good morning, William T. Spears." Sebastian greeted as he turned to the approaching Reaper.

"Good morning, Sebastian." William replied, and he felt foolish as he realized he had no clue what to say next.

"No troubles with demons today, I hope." Sebastian remarked as he began tending to the flowers that were displayed in front of the shop, tossing out those that were dying or bruised.

"No, no troubles."

"That's good…"

There was a long silence between the two of them, neither of them knowing what to say to the other next.

"Do pardon me…" Sebastian finally spoke up, "Can I help you find something?"

"No… I was just… I just stopped by to visit, that's all."

"Visit, eh?"

William nodded.

A light laugh left Sebastian's mouth, "Don't tell me a Reaper like yourself has fallen for me."

A scowl appeared on William's face, even though he knew it wasn't completely untrue, "What gave you that assumption?"

"Well, it's not every day the same Reaper goes through the trouble of finding me, simply just to thank me or to visit. Plus, I know a love-struck man when I see one."

"I am _not_ love-struck and I _have not_ fallen for you!"

"Then _why_ haven't you _killed_ me yet?"

The question silenced William, unsure of what to make of the demon's words.  
"I mean, don't all Reapers live under that rule, 'Kill on sight'?" Sebastian continued, "Isn't it your kind who ultimately despises us?"

William still couldn't make words. Did Sebastian really expect him to kill him, just as the law stated?

"Well, let me give you a little peace-of-mind, William T. Spears. I don't despise your kind; in fact I find your jobs fascinating." Sebastian then picked a red rose from what was displayed in front of the shop and tucked the stem into the breast pocket to William's suit and he smiled warmly at him, "Red roses suit you very well."

With nothing more to say, Sebastian turned to go inside the shop.

At that, William snapped out of whatever trance he had been in and looked over the other flowers. He noticed the black orchids and realized something.

"Wait, Sebastian!"

The demon paused and turned around and saw that William had several individual black orchids in his hand. Slowly William took Sebastian's long, slender ponytail and brought it in front of his shoulder. He carefully placed the orchids within the hair so it looked as if the plant and it's blossoms had grown from the tail.

"Black orchids suit you very well." William said, and without a thought he embraced the demon.

Sebastian wasn't entirely sure what to make of this. No being had ever shown anything that could be recognized as love or kindness before, and he had most certainly never seen this from a Grim Reaper.

Eventually, Sebastian returned the embrace. It felt different to hug a Grim Reaper. Since Hell was a much warmer place—a place of Hellfire and brimstone—and the realm of the Grim Reapers was much cooler and calm, their body temperatures differed greatly. Sebastian felt as if he were hugging cold air while William felt as if he were in a woodstove. But neither of them cared. Whatever they were feeling, it felt right.

William eventually left, though he was slightly reluctant. He knew what he had just done could get him into trouble with the other Reapers, not to mention it was _completely_ overstepping what Pops had sent him out there to do. And William realized something…

… He didn't really care. He was in love with a demon. He was in love with Sebastian.

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((personally i don't know if i made this chapter too cheesy too soon, and i'm really not sure if i made William a little TOO out of character. Let me know what you guys thought in the reviews! Keep a look out for the next chapter!))


	5. Chapter 4: Confusion

Chapter 4: Confusion

"What the hell was I thinking?"

Ever since William had embraced Sebastian that morning, confusion began to coil around his every thought. Why did he even care when Sebastian first embraced him? And William wondered what made him notice the black orchids and decide to place them in the demon's ponytail. Where did that gesture come from?

In truth, William didn't know a thing about being romantic. He had always been more occupied with work than anything else. He had never gone on a date, much less been asked by someone. The closest thing he could come to when it came to looking for answers was his co-worker, Grell Sutcliff, who was always flirting with the best-looking man nearest to him. But the last thing William wanted to do was seek advice from the other Reaper. If nothing else, Grell's tactics could land him into even more trouble and cause him greater confusion.

William put his head down on his desk and sighed. Besides his issue with Sebastian, there was a matter of Sebastian's master, Giles. The florist was scheduled to die in less than twenty-four hours, and William still didn't know what effects killing him would have on the demon. Would it hurt him, or would it have no effect on him at all? Frankly, William wasn't willing to find out.

What to do? What to do?

The sound of his desk phone ringing jogged him out of his thoughts. After the third ring, he picked it up.

"Grim Reaper Staffing Association. This is William."

The voice that responded on the other end of the line was both welcoming and unnerving to him.

"Hello William. This is Sebastian."

"Sebastian? How did you know my number?"

"You gave me your business card, remember? Anyways, I called because…"

"Look, I have a lot on my plate right now; there's a lot on my mind."

"I know, same here; not to mention Master Giles wasn't so pleased seeing me act so "intimate" towards a customer. I think it would be better not to rush things. I wanted to wait until my contract with Giles was complete. Then, if you're still all head-over-heels for me, I wouldn't mind if you would meet me after work in front of the shop. You're rather interesting to be around."

In a way, a massive amount of pressure was lifted from William's chest, "I'm not head-over-heels for you, Sebastian. But meeting you after work… that sounds good."

Even though William couldn't see it, he knew Sebastian was smiling at the other end of the phone, "Alright, then. I have to get back to work, so I hope well speak again soon."

It wasn't until after William hung up the phone that he began to think over what Sebastian had just said. _'I wanted to wait until my contract with Giles was complete.'_ Something like guilt hit William, knowing Sebastian wouldn't get so much as a taste of his master's soul. But that also meant William was given around twenty-four hours to make up his mind about Sebastian. Was he _really_ in love with the demon or was it all just in his head?

"So, who's Sebastian?"

The voice that chimed from behind William wasn't at all welcoming to him. The dark-haired Reaper turned to the door where another Reaper with short, blood-red hair stood, grinning at him mischievously with a mouth full of sharp, pointed teeth.

"That is none of your concern, Mr. Sutcliff." William replied, adjusting his glasses.

"Oh, come now. Is he a good-looking man, like you? Or is he another mangy mongrel running around on the streets searching desperately for the nearest person to mount?"

William felt his brow twitch in annoyance. Of course, he knew if he didn't give Grell a straight answer, the chattering Reaper would just keep pressing him for answers.

"He's just a friend I made yesterday." He said.

"'Just a friend', eh?" Grell inquired, "If he's just a friend, _why_ are you blushing?"

William knew just from the heat that rose from his face that his cheeks were red, but he didn't care.

He relieved a heavy sigh, "Because, I might have _some_ feelings for him."

Grell's smile widened, "I knew it all along. Now, tell me more about this Sebastian fellow, before I lose interest."

"No."

"Come, now! It's not like he's a demon or an angel or something like that."

The blush on William's face instantly went pale. Grell was the biggest loud mouth of the Staffing Association; no secret was safe. Telling him the truth meant telling the whole building the truth. He would surely be fired and his reputation as a Reaper would be ruined for an eternity. But _not_ telling him could cause something even worse than telling him the truth. Grell could start a rumor, and then Will would have fifty Reapers nagging at him for answers. He knew how dramatic Grell could get when he didn't have his way. For the flamboyant, red-headed Reaper to start rumors that would be anything but true, that would push William over the edge.

"I'll tell you…" William stated, "But you'll have to swear to me you'll keep that annoying trap of yours shut."

Grell shivered in excitement, "I swear William. Now, tell me more about this Sebastian fellow. I'm sure if you're attracted to him, he must be interesting."

William adjusted his glasses once more before continuing, "Sebastian is a demon who is contracted to a florist here in town."

Grell let out a lighthearted laugh, "You're in love with a demon? Two beings that are forbidden to have feelings for each other. Oh my, it's just like Romeo and Juliet! The Montague's and the Capulet's; the Reapers and the demon's; a forbidden, tragic love!"

"Will you shut up already?!" William snapped, "I don't need the whole building knowing about this."

"Oh, don't worry sweet William." Grell purred, "Your secret is safe with me."

William relieved an irritated sigh as Grell left his office with a feminine "Ta-ta!" rolling off his tongue. Just listening to Grell was exhausting, and he had the strongest feeling that the red-headed Reaper wouldn't hold true to his word.


	6. Chapter 5: Results of a Broken Contract

I'll warn you now this is a _**very**_ sad chapter!

* * *

Chapter 5: The Results of a Broken Contract

William watched the man in front of him closely. He knew that in less than a minute, something would happen to Giles Miller, and exactly thirty seconds after that the florist would be dead. It was one of the perks to being a Reaper; being able to know the exact time and manner of a person's death.

However, this was one reap William was anxious about. This would be the first time he reaped the soul of a human who was still bound to a demon's contract, and his mind was focused on one thing: how would this effect Sebastian? Would he be alright?

Thirty seconds.

Giles was standing in front of the local bar, wobbly and drunk. Sebastian had been left to tend to the shop until he returned.

Twenty-five seconds.

A man stumbled up to Giles, equally as drunk. The two of them began to talk; a friendly conversation full of laughter.

Fifteen seconds.

The mood of the conversation quickly changed as Giles began to argue with the man over drinking money and women.

Five seconds.

A glint of metal could be seen. The man had pulled out a knife. He quickly thrust it into Giles' belly. Giles cried out in agony as the man, in his drunken rage, continued to stab him.

His time had come. Only William and every Reaper alike could see the mystic blue light appear from the wounds. That was William's cue to enter. He was able to slip past Giles' killer without being seen; yet another perk to being a Reaper; being invisible to mortals. Quickly William thrust his death scythe into the mystic blue light, harvesting the man's soul as it began to slip from his body.

Giles' gasped as the last drops of life began to drain from him.

"No!" he cried, a large gush of blood spewing out of his mouth with the word as he choked and gasped for air,  
"Sebas…tian!"

The look the dying man had in his eyes told William he knew something was happening to the demon elsewhere.

A few seconds later, Giles' Miller was dead.

William's face normally didn't hold any emotion that wasn't annoyance or plainness, but Giles' last words had definitely gotten to him. He quickly left the scene and raced towards the flower shop; clearing four rooftops in a single bound just to get there quicker.

The first thing William was alarmed to upon his arrival as the shop was the fact that it was dark inside the building and Sebastian wasn't out in front of the shop tending to the flowers as he usually was. He knew that if everything was alright, Sebastian would be out in front of the shop and the lights to the shop would be lit for customers.

William lowered himself from the building he was perched on and approached the shop; dreading each step out of fear of what he would find inside. He opened the door gently, nearly acting as if he were an ordinary customer, as to not attract attention from the other people walking around him to and fro.

"Hello?" he called out, "Is anybody here?"

William could sense Sebastian's presence in the building. He knew it by heart by now, but even so he was worried. William could see and feel the demon's aura. It was weak; nearly gone. The demon's strength and power had dropped almost into nothing. He knew from experience that if Sebastian wasn't dead or dying, this meant he was badly injured.

"Sebastian!" he called out, "Sebastian, can you hear me?"

The silence William received in return was enough of an answer for him. He began looking around quickly, searching for any clues as to where in this small shop Sebastian could be.

He couldn't help but notice a group of tipped over vases that held a wide variety of flowers. The blossoms were scattered, stems were snapped, petals were torn, and water had been spilled, making a mess of the tables that had been violently pushed around.

And upon peering over one of those pushed-around tables, William's face fell in horror!

Sebastian lay on the hard floor of the shop, curled halfway into a fetal position. His face was drained of the soft pink color that lay under the milky white skin, giving it a deathly grey color. No breaths stirred his chest and his eyes were closed. Sebastian's long, black ponytail lay sprawled over the floor, and William still see the black orchids he had placed there, still seemingly growing from the hair.

William threw himself beside Sebastian and took his hand in his. He was instantly alarmed as to how cold his skin was, and it wasn't just his hands, it was his face as well… and the skin of his chest, which he could feel through the white dress shirt Sebastian had on that day. Fear began to fill William as he recalled how warm Sebastian's body temperature was compared to his; how it felt like it had been heated by an oven. Now, Sebastian's skin was as cold as a block of ice.

William leaned close to Sebastian, allowing his ear to hover over the demon's pale grey lips. Not a single breath escaped Sebastian's slightly parted mouth. Trembling, William pressed his fingers against the demon's neck as he search for a pulse.

At first, there was nothing. Then he felt one… and then nothing… and then another stirred his fingertips. Sebastian was still alive, but his pulse was weak.

William forced himself to continue this for several minutes, cradling Sebastian's lifeless body in his arms and keeping track of his pulse.

It was at seven beats per minute, then ten, and then fifteen. At twenty beats per minute, William heard Sebastian take a small breath.

The Reaper searched Sebastian's face for movement; something that would tell him that he was gaining some sort of awareness to his surroundings. But not a single muscle in his body moved; none but his heart, which struggled with each beat it made. That was the only breath Sebastian took.

William would have preferred physical torture in Hell compared to what he was feeling now. All of the emotions William kept bottled up inside began to surface. He was sad at the fact that this happened, angry at the fact _he_ was the one who had been assigned to kill Giles Miller, and terrified at the thought of losing Sebastian.

He couldn't deny it any longer. There were no "maybes" or "might-bes" about it. He was in love with Sebastian.

After what seemed like another eternity later, Sebastian took another breath, and after a ten second wait another followed.

William still didn't know if Sebastian would recover what happened to him, but he knew the demon would surely die if he left him in the shop. Sebastian's clothes were soaked and cold and there wasn't a fire in the fireplace; there wasn't even a candle's flame to speak of. Sebastian's body temperature hadn't risen in the slightest and his pulse was still very weak. His breaths only came every minute or so, and those breaths were short and also weak.

Forcing himself off of the floor, William took Sebastian in his arms, quickly leaving the flower shop and leaping to the rooftops back towards his own home in the Reaper realm.


	7. Chapter 6: Bringing Him Back

Chapter 6: Bringing Him Back

Upon entering his home in the Reaper Realm, William carried Sebastian to his bedroom and settled his lifeless body in his bed. He immediately started a fire in the fireplace and closed the door to keep the heat trapped inside the room. After that, he began to think what he would do about Sebastian's wet clothing. For the most part, it was only his shirt that was soaked through. But even so, the thought of simply removing the shirt and replacing it gave him goose bumps. Yes, he cared for the demon, and yes, he wanted to help, but the thought of undressing him== even if it was just the shirt—made him tense.

But he realized that would be the only solution as he suddenly realized Sebastian had stopped breathing all together and his body temperature had gotten impossibly colder. The disturbingly slow and faint pulse was still there, but there were no other signs of life.

"I'll not have you dying on me now, Sebastian!" William stated as he began undoing the soggy shirt and stripping it from Sebastian's pale, limp body. He instantly covered the exposed torso with a thick blanket, even though he figured it was useless, since the demon wasn't producing any body heat to speak of.

William worked quickly to fit him in one of his own plain, white work shirts. Once that had been accomplished, he went back to keeping track of the demon's pulse. He felt himself grown numb when he realized that Sebastian's pulse had slowed even more so and at the knowledge of what he had to do to help it.

He needed to get Sebastian to breathe.

For several minutes he was giving the demon CPR, trembling as the numb feeling grew stronger the longer Sebastian went without taking a single breath. Out of pure desperation William broke down and began doing mouth-to-mouth. The squeamish side of him told him to stop before he even started, but everything else inside of him screamed at him to do it.

William could only stomach breathing twice into Sebastian. When he moved to check Sebastian's pulse he was relieved to find that it had already gotten considerably stronger. But it wasn't enough. He needed to get the demon breathing on his own. He forced himself to continue mouth-to-mouth, trying hard to ignore his churning stomach, and after several more breaths and a torturous wait, Sebastian took a deep, long breath.

Sebastian's breathing started in struggling gasps, but slowly stabilized into normal breathing. It was only then that William was able to take a breath of his own. After his breathing stabilized, Sebastian remained unconscious and unresponsive; appearing almost as if though he was asleep.

William pulled up a chair beside the bed. He would watch over Sebastian for as long as it took for the demon to wake. How long that would be, exactly, he didn't know…

William stayed up all night watching Sebastian. He hadn't bothered with eating or resting; never catching a wink of sleep like he needed. He only turned his attention away for a few minutes to call into work to say he wouldn't be back for a few days out of the excuse that he was sick.

The room was uncomfortably warm to William, but Sebastian's skin still felt unnaturally cold, but it was slowly increasing in temperature. He told himself he would bear with the heat until Sebastian fully recovered.

By the time dawn broke the next morning, William was beyond exhausted. Although he'd hoped for better luck, Sebastian hadn't stirred at all within the night, but his condition was still improving. By now, the demon's body temperature matched William's and his skin had regained its color. William knew it was only a matter of time before Sebastian woke up.

A knock at the door jogged William from his nagging drowsiness. He knew from the visitor's presence that it was Pops. What the elder Reaper wanted, he didn't know, but he did know that he wouldn't be too pleased to see Sebastian in the Reaper realm, let alone in the younger Reaper's own house.

William made his way to the door and opened it.

"Good morning, William." Pops greeted, "I didn't want to trouble you, but I heard you weren't well and I was sent to check on you."

William nodded, "You can come in, sir."

Pops walked into the kitchen and sat down at the dining table in the room.

"You look pretty exhausted, William." He stated, "Have you not been able to sleep, or is it this sickness?"

"It is not…" William replied, "I am exhausted, but not because I'm sick."

He led Pops to the bedroom. Upon seeing Sebastian lying in the bed, the elder Reaper recoiled in shock.

"I know I told you to become familiar with Sebastian, but to bring him here in the Reaper realm, you may be overstepping boundaries, William."

"I know, sir." William said, "But I saw no other option. I found him in Miller's flower shop, nearly dead. I'm not sure if it was because of the loss of his master that caused it or if he were attacked, but no matter what the cause I couldn't bring myself to leave him there; no matter what he may be."

"You meant to say Sebastian was the demon who was contracted to Giles Miller?"

William nodded, "Sebastian's condition has been improving gradually since I've brought him here."

Pops walked up to the bedside and brushed his fingers lightly over the skin of the demon's cheek. Even he was shocked at how abnormally cold his skin felt.

"It was a smart thing of you to build that fire. At this temperature, he would slowly but surely die.

"Believe me, I know." William said, "I was forced to do CPR and mouth-to-mouth on him because his pulse was getting so weak and he wasn't breathing."

"Another smart thing…"

"But, I'll make this quite clear; I'm not entirely willing to do it again anytime soon."

A shift in the bed caught William's attention. It seemed as if the Reaper had moved from his position at the door to standing opposite of Pops beside the bed in a single leap. A hand came to rest upon Sebastian's head and the thumb stroked his brow gently.

"Sebastian?" William called softly, "Sebastian, can you hear me?"

From beneath his hand, he felt Sebastian's head turn slightly. A slight moan rumbled deep within his throat and from underneath his eyelids his eyes rolled as he began to wake.

Slowly, Sebastian's eyes fluttered open and settled on William. It took a few moments before familiarity sparked within his crimson gaze, as if Sebastian couldn't remember the Reaper at all at first.

"Huh? Will?" his voice was soft and weak.

"I'm here…" William hummed softly.

"Where am I? This… this is not the h-human realm…"

"We're in the Reaper realm, Sebastian. It was the only place I could take you to recover."

Sebastian's gaze held a blank stare, as if he were trying to remember something.

"Master Giles is dead." Sebastian whispered, almost sounding as if he meant it as a question rather than a statement.

William nodded, "He is. He died yesterday afternoon."

Sebastian's stare went blank once more, "The contract… so that's what happened then…"

"What? What happened?"

"When you reaped the soul of Master Giles… that left our c-contract unfulfilled. As a result, the contract dissolved."

William shook his head, unable to comprehend that Sebastian knew it was him who killed his master, "What does that have to do with anything?"

"An uncompleted contract… it's not something demons take lightly. If the soul was preserved in some way… some of us can allow our masters to die, but that didn't happen in the case of my master."

Sebastian sighed and let his eyes slip closed. The explanation had clearly exhausted him, but William continued to press him for answers.

"Sebastian?"

The demon was barely able to force his eyes open, "Yes?"

"What happened, exactly? When I found you, you were barely alive. You didn't breathe, you were cold, and your pulse only came every few minutes or so. You got so bad, I had to revive you. What did the contract do, exactly?"

Sebastian was silent for a moment, as if he were trying to comprehend what William had told him. Or perhaps he had started to drift off into unconsciousness again. At one point or another, however, he blinked his weariness from his eyes and worked to produce a further explanation.

"… Not the contract… the seal. The seal binds the demon and master to the contract. The seal attacks the demon if the soul is lost before the contract is completed… the same happens to the human if the demon is killed… usually the human does not survive. It's a form of physical punishment that varied demon to demon."

"I guess some contractors can be a real pain, eh Sebastian?" Pops spoke up.

Sebastian rolled his head across the pillow and shot the elder Reaper a look, "Oi! When did you get here?"

The tone of the demon's voice, though weak, was light and teasing, forcing a laugh from both Reapers. Sebastian gave a light chuckle before his exhaustion pulled away the last of his consciousness.

"I need… to sleep..." was all that left the demon's mouth before his eyes slipped closed and he drifted off to sleep.

"That was something he'd always say whenever we ran into each other." Pops stated, "He has a creative sense of humor and a good heart, for a demon."

William nodded, "Would you call me crazy if I told you I loved him?"

Pops tilted his head, "I wouldn't call you crazy, but might I ask why?"

A rare smile crossed William's face.

"Because he fascinates me."


	8. Chapter 7: The Immortal's Heat

Chapter 7: The Immortal's Heat

_"What had happened then and what would happen after are the things I regret the most. If I hadn't saved William from that pack of demons, he would have been killed all of that might have never happened. I know for certain what happened after I had fully recovered would have never happened if I just let him die. And the story of what happened after that began with the time of the Immortal's Heat…"_

A few months had passed since the death of Giles Miller, and William and Sebastian had grown closer to each other as the time passed. They moved back and forth from the human realm to the Reaper realm together and it drove them both mad to be apart for long periods of time. By now, most of the Reapers from the Grim Reaper Staffing Association knew of the demon and they knew how much William T. Spears—a Reaper who had been known to kill a demon sight without hesitation—truly loved him.

That fact had sparked a wild chain of rumors to stir within the groups who spoke of it. It was said that William was overheard telling someone he planned on running away with the demon to avoid further persecution from the others. Other said that William had managed to seduce the demon and that Sebastian fell submissive to him every night. There was talk of a wedding being planned in secret and that either Sebastian or William were expecting a child.

Of course, such rumors didn't sit well with William and Sebastian. Although it held true that Sebastian had fallen submissive to William, it had been only once and not during the time of the Immortal's Heat. Therefore it would have been impossible for Sebastian to be carrying a child. That followed with the fact there was no wedding, but that didn't mean the two beings still didn't love each other more than anything else.

But, as winter passed and spring began to bloom, William was increasingly aware that the time of the Immortal's Heat was almost upon them. That fact terrified him! The breeding season forced immortals to fight for dominance their senses strived for, and William was sure of one thing: he was not about to become a demon's uke; even if that demon was Sebastian.

All too soon for his taste, William woke up early one morning to a nagging itch between his legs. The room felt unbearably hot and stuffy, even though there was no fire burning in the fireplace. He threw the covers off of him and he cringed at the sudden cold that had been lying just beyond the blanket. This is what he hated about being in heat; every little bit of him was sensitive to the slightest of things. Sounds were louder, smells were stronger, and his ability to feel was more sensitive.

Ignoring the sudden chill, William rolled over to face the other side of the bed where Sebastian usually slept. He was surprised to find that side of the bed empty. He figured he should have expected that, since Sebastian usually woke him up in the mornings for work. The demon didn't need sleep, so he would normally sit up and watch over the Reaper during the late hours of the night.

But with the start of the breeding season came a considerable amount of tension. He knew that as time passed, the two of them would become more irritable and try fighting each other for dominance. Not to mention other immortal beings—strictly demons, Reapers, and angels—would be looking for mates, as well, and they were more than willing to trespass into other realms and steal.

William vowed he wouldn't allow that to happen.

Ignoring the persistent itch that burned between his legs, William got up from his bed. As his feet touched the floor, he was aware of a growling sound coming from the bathroom that was attached to his room. The door was open, so the sound was hardly muffled.

"Sebastian?" William called out softly as he stood up.

The growling stopped and was replaced with silence. Each step William took drove him mad; the friction between his legs making him want to scream and claw at something. But he didn't want to let that stop him from making sure Sebastian was okay. He knew how demons could get during the time of the Immortal's Heat. They could become very agitated and aggressive. They were known to attack angels, demons, and Reapers alike. They usually calmed down and were more submissive towards the end of the season, but William couldn't wait that long. The itch and irritation would only grow until the season ended, where it would then stop suddenly; it all would exhaust him, not to mention that took at least two weeks.

With that in mind, William peered into the door way and watched Sebastian carefully.

He was leaning heavily against the sink; the weight of his upper body supported by his arms. Although William thought he had been silent, he could still heard lower growls rumbling deep within Sebastian's throat as he dry humped the sharp corners of the sink. It would seem the heat had gotten to the demon, as well, and he was trying to relieve the itch himself. It was pointless, though, since the itch could only be relieved by another person.

The sight made William's itch grow to an unbearable degree as he sensed Sebastian's own heat. The air around him suddenly turned to fire and everything below his waist to his knees burned. A desperate whine threatened to rise from his throat, but William swallowed it back down as he slowly approached Sebastian.

The eyes that darted to William were not the garnet-colored ones he was familiar with these eyes were an unnatural shade of pink. In them, William thought he could see the fires of Hell swirling, making the pink color shift and move like a type of glowing fluid. The pupils to the eyes were narrow and slitted, like those of a cat.

The demon's stare made William pause a moment. He had no idea if Sebastian would try to attack him, or if he was still the man he remembered and loved. Sebastian had never shown a trace of his demonic nature to him, other than the dark, black aura that he had about him. The demon was stronger than William, even with his scythe. If he dared to make a wrong move, Sebastian could easily kill him.

Sebastian's lips curled into a vicious snarl and the pink glow intensified.

"I-it's alright, Sebastian." William soothed, "It's only me… William."

The snarling ceased and the familiar red-color bled back into Sebastian's eyes as the demon slumped forward slightly on his hands and sighed.

"I thought you were someone else, at first." was all he said before he resumed dry humping the corner of the sink; hissing and growling at the friction the movements caused.

William's legs rubbed hard against each other, causing a sort of friction of their own. It only caused more irritation to build. He walked up behind Sebastian and put his hands around the demon's waist. Sebastian let out a sort of warning growl, which William promptly ignored as he leaned his hips against the demon's.

He felt Sebastian tense in his grip, "… William…" Sebastian sighed, with a slight hiss lacing his voice, "… please…"

William's hands trailed up and down the demon's body, stroking his softer parts, coaxing a purr from Sebastian. He leaned closer, completely engulfing himself in the demon's heat.

"…William…" Sebastian sighed again, "… the bed…"

Whether it was him or the hormones coursing through him, no one could say, but William hardly reacted to Sebastian's words as he continued to bathe in his heat.

Frustrated with the growing itch, Sebastian forced his rear hard back against William's erection, forcing a grunt out of the Reaper.

"Please, Will, I can't take this anymore!"

The words were produced at a low growl and William was more than happy to oblige.

He carried Sebastian back to his bed and began stripping him of his clothes.

_'I can't believe I'm doing this.'_ William thought to himself, _'The last time the Heat came around, I just locked myself in here and waited for it to pass. At that time I never would have been this willing to breed with a demon; I would have killed anyone that tried. But __**this**__ demon, here, he's precious; he's everything to me.'_

William had been stripped of his own clothes and Sebastian was already underneath him, waiting for the Reaper to make the first move.

_'He's an immortal, much like myself.' _William thought, _'At the time of the Immortal's Heat, the uke is most likely to become pregnant. That's something I don't necessarily wish, but don't exactly oppose, either…'_

"William?"

The sound of Sebastian's voice instantly pulled William out of his thoughts. The demon was looking up at him, desperation lingering in his eyes.

William's fingers trailed behind Sebastian's head and gently pulled the black bow holding his hair back loose. A wide wave of long, straight, black hair spilled over the pillows; the black and the white creating a beautiful pattern.

The itch William had felt before had escalated into a fierce burning and he couldn't wait any longer.

Sebastian let out a loud cry as William pushed into him and he found himself clawing at the sheets as he tried to adjust. He didn't dare to put his arms around William out of fear he might crush him. Just the same, he kept his hands fisted into she sheets out of fear of clawing him. Their strengths varied so greatly that Sebastian could easily kill William if he were to treat him like a demon seme.

William could sense the thought and stopped briefly. He reached his hands down and pulled Sebastian's up so they wrapped around him.

"You don't have to hold back." William said, "I'll be fine."

Sebastian nodded. Giving him the okay to continue, the Reaper began to pace himself. Another loud cry left Sebastian's mouth and his finger sank into William's skin. He trembled, trying to resist holding the Reaper too tightly to himself and crushing him. He moaned in pleasure as William quickened his pace.

"Don't hold back…" William whispered in his ear before kissing the crook of the demon's neck.

Sebastian lunged forward suddenly and sank his teeth into the muscle of William's neck. The winced and moaned, but knew he had asked for it. He knew how rough demons could get when they bred. They bit and clawed each other, tearing their rib and throat into their rendezvous. A chain of snarls mixed with purrs rose from Sebastian's throat. They were both in equal amounts of pain and pleasure as the itch of the Immortal's Heat began to work its way out with each hard thrust William gave.

Eventually, William pushed himself deep into Sebastian and spilled his seed. He felt Sebastian shudder underneath him and the demon soon followed. Exhausted, William flopped down beside him, finally relieved of the itch that had been irritating him all morning.

Sebastian, still panting, rolled onto his side, facing William. His finger trailed over the bite mark on William's neck. He observed the claw marks left on the Reaper's back. They were mostly bruises, but there were still prominent scratches etching into his skin.

Sebastian slid himself closer to the Reaper and wrapped his arms around him. William muttered the demon's name softly and fell asleep not long after he did.


	9. Chapter 8: Rumors

Chapter 8: Rumors

William was one of the first Reapers to return to work that week. With the Immortal's Heat gone from his system, there was nothing that could distract him from his work; nothing but the fact that Sebastian wouldn't be accompanying him today, still exhausted from the night before.

Of course, upon William's sudden return, more rumors began to spread throughout the Staffing Association. William had never been one to return so early in the breeding season; if nothing else, he was one of the last. Just the same, they could guess why the Reaper wore a bandage over his neck and throat area and why he winced whenever something made sudden contact with his back and sides. Rumors of a child began to resurface and were the most talked about.

William slowly grew more annoyed with his co-workers than he had been before and he tried to stay in his office as much as possible when he wasn't doing dispatch work.

In the afternoon, when William was tending to paperwork in his office, there was a knock at his door.

"Come in."

The door opened and Pops walked into the room.

"Did you need something, sir?" William asked, standing from his chair.

"Not necessarily." Pops replied, "I'm just surprised to see you back at work so soon."

William relieved an irritated sigh, "Don't tell me you've gotten caught up in those vile rumors that are lurking about."

"I've been hearing quite a few, yes." Pops confessed, "That's why I came to you."

William nodded, "Alright, come in. Close the door. I don't want something leaking out of this place that could spark more rumors."

Pops closed the door and sat down in a chair across from William's desk.

"Tell me what you've heard…" the younger Reaper sighed.

"Things that shouldn't be of anyone else's concern." Pops said, "Especially at this time of year. Did you and Sebastian… you know?"

A light blush appeared on William's face, "Yes. I think the bite mark on my neck and claw marks on my back are evidence enough."

"Do they still hurt?"

"Not as bad. Sebastian's been tending to them, so they don't hurt as much as it would if he didn't check on them every so often."

Pops nodded, "How's he doing?"

"He's fine. He's been a lot better since the incident with Giles Miller. When I left for work this morning, he was still asleep."

"I've heard rumors about a wedding. Is that true?"

William snorted, "No. I love him, but I haven't stooped to wanting to marry the demon, yet."

"So I assume neither of you are with child then, either?"

William frowned, "I'm not sure. I know for sure I'm not… but I'm not sure about Sebastian. But if he catches because of the breeding season, then he will start showing signs soon."

Pops nodded again, "Those were the rumors I've been hearing the most."

"Can I count on you not to repeat what I've just said?"

"Of course. Also, the boss Wanted me to pass this swear word to you. Since so many are still gone and aren't expected to be back until the end of the breeding season, we're all on _overtime_."


	10. Chapter 9: Thinking on Overtime

Chapter 9: Thinking Overtime

William had called Sebastian that afternoon to tell him he'd be working overtime and didn't know what time, exactly, he'd be coming home. Sebastian had sounded groggy on the other end of the line—as if the call had woken him up—but he had understood and said that it was okay.

After his discussion with Pops, William was left feeling a little flustered. He wasn't bothered by the talk of his wounds or the rumors of the wedding, but it was the rumors of a child that had him thinking. What if Sebastian _did_ become pregnant with his child?

A small slime lifted the corners of William's mouth at the thought. At least one rumor would be proven fact and William would be proud of that. he no longer hated demons—seeing the ones who ran wild on the streets only as a small bother—and he had even gone so far as to fall in love with one. William found himself being happy at the thought of being the father to his and Sebastian's child.

Even so, William also wondered if a child between him and Sebastian could produce unwanted complications in his realm or the demon realm. He knew that just because he and Sebastian were one to kill each other because of their differences, there were other Reapers and demons that would kill each other for sport if they could; since the result of such could destroy the human world. A child from a Reaper and a demon could be targeted by both species of immortals. He had seen it happen before between the hybrids of angels and demons and angels and Reapers. It was something William wouldn't want for his child, even though he and Sebastian were more than capable of protecting the child until it could protect itself.

By the end of that day, William was exhausted. He wished to go home like he would normally. But he and every Reaper alike were working the night shift and the shift of the next morning. And if more Reapers didn't show up tomorrow, he would have to repeat it again.

Luckily for him, though, more Reapers did show up the next morning and William was dismissed for the rest of the day. He looked forward to spending the rest of the day with Sebastian and resting.

Upon arriving home, William was surprised to find that Sebastian wasn't in the living room waiting for him as he usually was. Rather he was seated in a chair in the bedroom facing the window. A bowl filled with popcorn was sitting on his lap and he was tediously eating the popcorn one cornel at a time.

"Popcorn?" William questioned.

"Popcorn." Sebastian replied in a monotone voice, his attention scarcely veering from the window.

"I thought demons hated actual food. You can only taste human souls."

"This event called for popcorn."

"What event?"

A loud bang against the window caught William's attention and instantly sent Sebastian into a chain of joyful laughter.

"What was that?" William asked.

"That was Ash being an idiot." Sebastian snickered.

On the window ledge sat a dove, shaking its head from the sudden impact and taking off into the air. It wasn't long after that before a crow slammed into the window, followed by the dove and a blackbird. The actions of the birds causing Sebastian to break out into a fit of hysterical laughter.

"What are they doing?" William asked.

"The Heat's gotten to them." Sebastian replied, "They've been doing this all morning."

William sat down on the bed and watched, chuckling slightly the ore the birds slammed into the window.

"There are five of them." Sebastian commented, "Two angels—the dove and a bluebird—and three demons—the crow, a seagull, and the blackbird."

"And they've been doing this all morning?"

"Yes."

"What a bunch of pests!"

"Speaking of: that pest, Grell Sutcliff, was here yesterday looking for you."

"What did he want?" William asked, annoyed at the fact that the red-headed pervert was there when he wasn't. For all he knew Grell could have tried to seduce Sebastian himself.

"He was desperate." Sebastian replied.

"And what did you do?"

"I issued a verbal threat and when he tried coming onto me I gave him a pleasant kick to the groin that sent him on his way."

William winced as if it had been done to him, "That doesn't sound pleasant at all."

"I was referring to myself."


	11. Chapter 10: Sick?

Chapter 10: Sick

William soon found out that the popcorn Sebastian had been eating wasn't simply something to munch on while watching the other immortals in their physical animal forms run themselves into the window. In fact, within the few days William had been gone, Sebastian had consumed five packs of popcorn, as well as a few things that occupied his cupboards. He knew Sebastian didn't like the taste of human food, so he was suspicious as to why he was eating so often.

The conclusion of pregnancy crossed his mind, but was quickly eliminated as William knew the demon wasn't showing any of the other signs of pregnancy. They did differ too greatly in demons compared with a human's. Mood swings were more violent and he would be vomiting. Sebastian didn't show any of these symptoms, so William assumed it was only the demon trying to keep his mind off of feeding on souls; something William would gladly appreciate.

However, as the days began to pass, William became aware of the other changes in Sebastian's behavior. He had begun to sleep in. William would most often find the demon curled up asleep, or he would fall asleep sometime within the night and fail to wake William up the next morning. Just the same, Sebastian seemed to be more tired than usual and he always requested five more minutes if he was pressed the get up.

For a while, William also excused this as a reason for Sebastian to keep his soul-stealing habits out of his mind. Sleep was a luxury demons used to pass the time, and it was one William didn't mind; especially since those were the times Sebastian wanted to snuggle close to him and he could hold his lover for as long as he wished.

He couldn't shake it off any longer, however, when he woke up one morning to the sounds of someone vomiting violently in his bathroom. The covers on Sebastian's side of the bed were overturned and with the demon nowhere in his sights, William knew for certain it was he who was vomiting.

Surely enough, when he ran through the doorway to the open bathroom, William saw Sebastian kneeling over the toilet, throwing up whatever was occupying his stomach. He didn't say anything as he settled himself beside him and rubbed his back gently. He knew demons couldn't fall ill to any common human illnesses, but he knew of a few illnesses that were seen among them. But Sebastian had been perfectly fine when they'd gone to bed the night before. But that didn't mean anything; any being could fall ill at a moment's notice. So Sebastian was either sick, or could he be…?

Once Sebastian had finished gagging, he allowed himself to recline back against William, nuzzling his chest and sighing softly.

"There's no fever." He stated, "I already checked to make sure."

William nodded, but didn't say anything. So Sebastian wasn't necessarily sick. What William suspected next he knew could be possible, and he knew how to detect it.

"I want to try something real quick, Sebastian."

Sebastian looked up at William with a questioning glance. The Reaper carefully laid him back against a nearby wall. He instructed the demon to lift his shirt to expose his abdomen. It was then that Sebastian knew exactly what William would be checking for and he for nervousness tugging at his chest.

William laid his hands over the demon's abdomen and pressed down lightly with his thumbs. He felt a tingling excitement grow inside himself as he detected the presence of another existing soul where his hands rested.

"Tell me you haven't consumed any souls recently." William stated.

With his eyes widened slightly, "Sebastian shook his head, "Lately, no; not for a few years. Why?"

The tingling sensation turned into excited trembles as William chuckled at the realization. He refused to pull his hands away at the knowledge of it.

"I can sense one… right now. And it has life to it."

Sebastian's eyes grew slightly wider, "Do you mean to say that I'm…"

William nodded, joyful tears beginning to glaze his eyes.

"Are you… are you sure?"

"I can sense its aura. It's so much like you… and me."

Sebastian could feel a smile tugging on the corners of his mouth.

William looked up at Sebastian and drew him close to his chest as the demon wept out his joy for the world to hear.

Sebastian was pregnant.


	12. Chapter 11: The Taking of a Soul

Chapter 11: The Taking of a Soul

William didn't go to work that day, wanting to spend as much time with Sebastian as he could until his excitement lowered some. He'd even called into work, saying it was a personal matter, but that he would be back the next day.

As for Sebastian, the excitement and joy he felt did nothing to keep his tiredness, cravings, and clinginess at bay. He preferred it when he was wrapped in William's arms, leaning against the inside of his shoulder, and that's how he would normally fall asleep.

His cravings hardly bothered William, since it mostly consisted of popcorn and cake; things that were easy to find in his realm and the human realm. However, he knew mere food to him and the humans wouldn't be enough to sustain the hunger of the unborn child. Each different immortal needed a different source of food for the child they were carrying.

For angels, it was holy water and human souls; a combination of the two if the child came from an angel and a demon. Reapers not only required human food, but also the fruit, vegetables and, herbs that grew in the Reaper realm. The properties of the fruit, vegetables, and herbs were what made Reapers a little more than human. Without such, the offspring would be no more than that. As for demons, they required a human's soul to sustain the child. There was a reason why one soul could satisfy a demon for an enormous amount of time. Souls could be compared to onions—aside from the taste—with several layers that the demon's stomach peeled away until nothing remained.

Of course, the thought of allowing a demon to eat a soul—even if it were Sebastian—didn't satisfy William. But the thought of losing his child—their child—didn't sit well, either; no, it wasn't even an option. Even if he would be an outcast in his society for the rest of eternity, he wouldn't neglect the needs of his mate and his unborn child for the sake of a reputation.

So, in the middle of the night that night, William slipped out of the house and flipped open his To-Die List. He looked over the names and found a suitable human whose soul he could harvest; a young merchant who really wouldn't be missed and was dying either way. And rather than using death scythe to absorb the Cinematic Record—the memories contained of a person's life—and collect the soul, he slipped on his black gloves and extracted the soul through the man's mouth. It was gruesome and considered barbaric to Reapers, but it was the only way for the soul to be harvested without dissolving.

The soul was carried in the shelter of his gloves all the way back to his home. He arrived to find Sebastian Still sound asleep in bed; just as he had left him.

William nudged him slightly, waking him up. The demon's eyes darted to the Reaper's hands and widened some.

"Is that a…?"

"Yes," William nodded, "and you need it. Popcorn won't be enough to sustain our child. It needs a soul to feast on."

A chuckle rose from Sebastian's throat, filled to the brim with irony, "And you used to complain about _my_ soul-stealing habits."

"That doesn't mean I'm going to tolerate it if you start going out and making it a habit. I'll just sneak a few here and there so you and our baby stay healthy."

"Sounds fair." Sebastian shrugged, gladly consuming the soul in one whole gulp. Although it very much satisfied his hunger, his taste buds weren't at all impressed. The taste of the soul was bland. It hardly had a spice or a flavor to it. If he could guess, Sebastian would assume this soul belonged to someone who wasn't all that well-known or served a memorable significance to the human realm. It all only reminded him of why he wasn't one to run around, consuming every soul he could get his hands on.

"How is it?" William asked.

Sebastian forced a fake smile to disguise his indifference to the taste of the soul, "It was good, thank you."

As Sebastian's hunger melted out of his body, he felt a yawn rise from his throat. He settled himself back under the covers and rested his head against the pillows. William crawled in bed beside him and pulled the demon closer to himself as he too began to fall asleep.


	13. Chapter 12: Telling Pops

Chapter 12: Telling Pops

William was in a suspiciously good mood upon returning to work the next day, and everyone knew it. Normally, the Reaper wasn't one to wear smiles and normally had a dull and relaxed energy about him. But today, a minute smile was present on his face and he seemed to be excited about something; something every Reaper thought to be impossible for William.

"You seem to be in a very good mood today." Pops remarked as the younger Reaper passed by him in the hallway near his office.

William nodded, "I am."

"Did something good happen? A promotion, perhaps?"

"You know I'm rather indifferent about promotions, sir."

"Then what is it? Your sudden energy is drawing a lot of attention."

William looked about at the other Reapers surrounding them. Judging from the sideways glances and the way their ears strained to listen in on the conversation, they were determined to hear every word.

"Let's take this conversation in private, sir." William said, "This kind of news is something I don't wish for everybody to hear."

Pops nodded and led the way to his office, while those looking on began to murmur to each other, stirring up more rumors that were bound to trouble him later.

Pops closed and locked the door behind him. The room was sound proof, due to the elder Reaper's constant work on the Reaper glasses, so it made for a good place for private conversations.

"Now, what's got you so excited?" Pops asked.

William took a seat in a chair and rested his elbows on Pops' desk as the Elder Reaper sat down.

"This has something to do with the personal matter I called in for yesterday." William stated.

"Does it have something to do with you and Sebastian?"

"Yes. It would seem on of the rumors that's been going around is now a fact."

"Which one?"

William's smile became notably more visible as he looked at Pops, "Sebastian's pregnant."

The elder Reaper's eyes widened some, "Are you sure? Has he been showing all the signs?"

"Pretty much. Nausea, tiredness, cravings, and he's very clingy. Not to mention I detected it myself."

Pops nodded, "Will his cravings become a problem?"

William's face fell into a frown, "He hasn't been hunting souls, if that's what you're implying. Besides, I've been keeping a close eye on him ever since I've met him."

"It's not a bad idea to continue to keep a close eye on him." Pops remarked, "Our food isn't going to satisfy him long. He'll want a human soul to eat that will keep him full for a while. He'll become a problem."

"He won't!" William snapped, "No matter how you look at it, Sebastian hasn't swallowed a single soul since we've met. And he's _my_ mate; therefore it is I who will worry about him." He closed his eyes and took a few calming breaths, "I love him. I would never allow him to do something that would endanger his life or that of our child."

Pops stared at him in awed silence. Never once had the quiet and seemingly dull William T. Spears spoken out in such a way, and for the sake of a demon. But it was only understandable and respectable, since most pairs that bred during the time of the Immortal's Heat didn't stay together and birth fathers or mothers would either reject the child or leave it in the care of the other parent; refusing to take any responsibility.

"I'll hold you to that." Pops said with a nod, and then he smiled, "Congratulations."

William returned the nod, "I apologize for snapping, sir. As an elder, more experienced Reaper, I should know better than to prove myself right."

"I'm the one who should be apologizing, William. It was none of my business to accuse Sebastian of soul-stealing. But even I'm aware that the law has to make some acceptations in this case."

That was true. The law made acceptation to the demons who were expecting and who had Reaper partners that were willing to stay nearer to them. However, there was still a limit; no more than ten souls could be consumed, which was still plenty, considering the immortal's shortened gestation period.

Immortals normally carried for a total of five months; a little more than half of that of a human. The infants were normally born slightly smaller than that of a human baby, but matured in size slightly faster. William knew that for the moment, Sebastian's pregnancy wasn't physically noticeable, but that all would change within the coming weeks.


	14. Chapter 13: Mood Swings and Baby Names

Chapter 13: Mood Swings and Baby Names

As it was expected, Sebastian's pregnancy began to physically show within the passing weeks, and William found himself becoming less willing to leave Sebastian's side. When he wasn't harvesting a soul for Sebastian, at work, or When Sebastian wasn't asleep or eating, the two of them would go out and walk around town. Whether it was in London in the human realm or the Reaper realm, it never mattered. Sebastian would wear looser clothing to keep his slightly curved abdomen hidden away from the prying eyes of humans.

Of course, it came as no surprise to William when he discovered that almost every Reaper he had associated with and many more knew of his love for the demon and also knew of the child that was on the way. It didn't exactly surprise him, because these were things immortals could detect, and with the expecting demon out in plain sight, it was something that didn't escape a Reaper's wandering eyes.

As Sebastian's pregnancy progressed into its third month, William noticed a new symptom show of his pregnancy. Mood swings began to trouble him. He would most often come home to find the demon crying because he had grown lonely, or sometimes for no reason at all. Originally, Reapers were taught that demons were incapable of feeling emotions that would cause them to shed tears. Obviously, that fact didn't apply to the ones who were expecting; who had their hormones scrambled in a thousand different ways.

William found Sebastian's mood swings rather easy to handle. Normally when they did act up, the demon would just cry. The moodiness could easily be cured just by having the Reaper hold him. It was like dealing with a child, and their child hadn't even been born yet.

Upon returning home from work one day William found Sebastian in one of those moods; sitting on the couch, crying softly. The stern look the Reaper normally carried on his face softened as he approached him and settled himself at his side. He gently wrapped his arms around Sebastian as the demon leaned against him. Much like all the times before, Sebastian slowly calmed down and stopped crying.

"Did you get lonely again?" William asked.

Sebastian sighed and nodded.

A soft chuckle rose from William's throat as his hand ran over the curve of the demon's abdomen, "You know, if our child keeps this up—making you upset all the time—then it's not going to know how to express its own emotions."

The statement forced a laugh out of Sebastian, "I suppose you're right about that."

There was enough space left on the couch for William to lie down, resting his head against Sebastian's abdomen and Sebastian ran his fingers through the Reaper's hair. A smile appeared on William's face as he felt the child move from somewhere within Sebastian's womb.

"Does that happen often?" he asked.

Sebastian nodded, "Yes. Usually it'll be at night or when you're away… _or_ whenever it's not fed on time."

"Have you thought of any names?"

"I thought of a few. I've settled on two for a girl and one for a boy."

"What are the girl's names?"

"Anya and Sabine."

"And the boy?"

"You won't like it."

William furrowed his brow at the statement, "What would make you think that? You know that I'm fine with whatever you choose."

Sebastian nodded, "Faustus."

On the outside, William's expression did not change, but what occurred inside his mind made him think. A German alchemist by the name of Faust had formed a contract with the devil, upon which the Faustian Contract bore its name. William could only assume this name, Faustus, had something to do with that.

But this child was that of him and Sebastian. It was no contractor or some symbol of a demon's contract. It was a child; half Grim Reaper, half demon. It was another immortal that was soon to join the world; a rare occurrence compared to the rate humans reproduced.

It took William but a moment to process these thoughts, and when each thought had been completed, he looked up as Sebastian.

"I don't hate it." He remarked, stroking the demon's abdomen gingerly, "I like that name… Faustus."

* * *

((Really, I just winged it with the girl's names; I couldn't think of anything too intellegant. Hope you liked this story so far, and please remember to REVIEW!))


	15. Chapter 14: Nervousness

Chapter 14: Nervousness

_"Yes, times were good between me and William. There was no hat, no violence, no fighting. William loved me, and I loved William, and I loved the child that was nestled deep inside my womb._

_ For once in my long life as a demon, life was perfect. I was happy; an emotion I had deemed nonexistent for my kind, since I knew nothing but pain and anguish and suffering. But it was this moment in my life where I was happy and in this moment was William and our child. And it was because of that moment that I thought I would be able to live out my days like this; with a family…_

_ … And then that moment ended._

_ Everything was taken from me; the man I loved and his love for me. Without that love, things instantly changed between me, William, and the child that bore that name, Faustus._

_ All of it vanishing on… on that day…"_

As the days drew nearer to the time when Sebastian was to deliver, the excitement and anxiety began to build inside of William. He didn't stray too far from him, in case he was needed.

By now, Sebastian's mood swings had calmed, as id his nausea and cravings. Most of his time was spent either sleeping or simply resting somewhere. Although he'd never admit it to himself, out of sheer paranoia, William insisted that a phone stayed within arm's reach of Sebastian while the Reaper was away at work. Just the same, William didn't move too far out of earshot of his office phone in case Sebastian did call.

There were few other Reapers that shared William's excitement and nervousness. However, Pops offered to give his support when the time came. Although he was dramatic, Grell stood by him, shooing away those who disapproved of the hybrid child that was on the way. The red-headed Reaper described it all as 'What could have been, between Romeo and Juliet'. There were others, as well. Alan Humphries and Eric Slingby, two younger Reapers, would often be there for moral support, even though it wouldn't exactly be needed until it came time for Sebastian to deliver.

And now it was all just a waiting game.

A month or so before Sebastian's due date, William went through the trouble of finding a suitable doctor to help with the delivery. On his own, he had no such luck. Every doctor he knew of refused to go even near Sebastian. That fact offended the Reaper greatly and it lowered his opinion of them.

Just as William began to give up, Alan offered the name of a doctor he knew of who worked closely with his own doctor. The young, brown-haired Reaper had been inflicted with the Thorns of Death; possibly one of the only diseases that could be caught by an immortal. Alan insisted that this doctor would help Sebastian, as his views on demons remained indifferent, and after a few meetings between William, Sebastian, and this doctor, the doctor agreed to help with the demon's delivery.

And so William waited.

One day, his anxiety got to him and William found himself pacing in his office, pausing every so often to glance at the phone, which would remain silent and he would start up his pacing again. He had the strongest feeling that today would be the day Sebastian delivered, and every minute that passed without a call drove him insane.

The Reapers Eric and Alan noticed him from the hallway and entered to calm the superior Reaper down.

"You're going to worry yourself sick." Eric remarked, "Perhaps you should sit down."

William stopped in the middle of the room and sighed, "I can't. I don't understand. Why hadn't he called?"

A chuckle left Eric's throat, "You should know by now pregnancies for immortals don't end at five months, on the dot. It could be earlier, it could be later."

At that, the jarring ring of his telephone caught William's attention. The first ring wasn't even complete by the time the Reaper picked it up.

"Grim Reaper Staffing Association, this is William."

The greeting was rushed and rather impatient.

It was the doctor whom Alan had referred to.

The way it was explained, Sebastian had gone into labor and was quick to call for the doctor, and although he was not yet ready to push, the demon was asking for him.

William gave the doctor a short reply and hung up the phone. He then turned to Alan and Eric, shivering with excitement.

"Sebastian's in labor!" he stated breathlessly.

Without waiting for a response from the other two Reapers, William bolted out the door and bounded along the rooftops towards his home.

He arrived at his home in a matter of minutes and he burst through the front door. The sound of someone moaning in pain instantly captured his attention and he instantly ran to the bedroom where he had heard the sound come from.

He was stopped outside the door at the sight of the doctor.

"How is he?" William asked.

"Doing well, for his first time." the doctor replied, "There haven't been any complications, and there aren't any signs of complications in sight."

William nodded, "How long do you think it will be before he's ready to push?"

"_William_!"

The shriek from beyond the door caught William's attention and he and the doctor ran inside.

Sebastian lay in the bed on his side. He was panting hard as his hands gripped and clawed at the sheets. William was at his side in an instant and allowed the demon to grip his hand as the doctor checked his progress.

"Alright, Sebastian," the doctor said, "It's time for you to push."

Sebastian nodded, following the doctor's instructions to lie on his back and the demon curled forward and bore down not long after that.

Everything seemed fine, at first. Although William hated seeing Sebastian in so much pain, he knew that childbirth was a painful experience, but that it would all be worth it in the end. It wasn't until the doctor began to carry a worried expression on his face that William grew concerned by Sebastian's pain-filled screams."

"Is everything alright?" he asked.

"There's a lot of blood." The doctor stated, "No worries. It should stop soon."

But it wasn't long after that that the worry on the doctor's face deepened.

"S-something's wrong!" Sebastian whimpered, nearly echoing the doctor's thoughts.

"Just keep pushing!" the doctor urged, "I'll take care of things here."

"What's wrong?" William asked.

The doctor looked up at William with a heavily worried expression on his face.

"The baby's breeched."


	16. Chapter 15: Complications

Chapter 15: Complications

William felt his breath catch in his throat. He knew the severity of the situation. He could only think of all the times he'd reaped the souls of children who weren't able to survive a breeched birth and there was the occasion where both the mother and the child died during the birth. It was what William feared the most; the thought of losing the child and his lover with it.

"William," Sebastian whimpered, "I'm scared."

William cupped the demon's hand gently, "I know, but everything's going to be alright."

Sebastian nodded and continued to push. Every scream that left his mouth sent an ache shooting through William's chest. He told himself he should be used to any sort of scream, since most people he'd reaped died painful deaths. But it was Sebastian's screams that he found himself unable to bear.

"You're almost there, Sebastian." The doctor said, "Just a few more pushes."

William looked at Sebastian. The demon was exhausted. His skin was slick with sweat, his ebony bangs were plastered to his face, and his screams only seemed to grow louder the more he pushed. 'A few more pushes'. Could Sebastian handle a few more pushes?

Sebastian arched his back suddenly and let out a last, agonizing scream. The demon felt a vast amount of relief wash over his body as the doctor removed the small infant from him. Everyone held their breaths as they waited for it to cry. The doctor worked to clean it and clear out its airways so it could take a breath. Seconds felt like minutes the longer the baby remained silent.

Before all hope for the infant could be lost, a sharp wail hit the air, filling the room with its loud cries. A smile appeared on Sebastian's face and he didn't pay much attention as the doctor rid his body of the afterbirth, nor did he pay much attention to the fact that he was still bleeding heavily.

That fact did not escape William's attention and his worry did not cease.

"It's a boy." The doctor remarked.

The smile on Sebastian's face grew at the fact as he weakly lifted his head to look as the child. No one could guess if the child had taken on more demon-like qualities, or if he had gained those of a Reaper, but in William's eyes the child was perfect and looked every bit like Sebastian, with thick black hair and very light-toned skin.

"Faustus…" the name joyfully left the demon's mouth, but even his voice was weak.

William's attention was caught by the tone of Sebastian's voice for only a moment before he realized the demon had gone pale.

"Sebastian?" the Reaper's voice was careful and soft.

Sebastian's eyes settled on William. They were glazed and the light in them was dimming.

"William, if you could please wait in the hallway," the doctor spoke up, "I need to stop the bleeding."

At that moment, Sebastian shuddered and coughed, a mouthful of blood spraying from his mouth. His expression went blank and his breathing ceased.

"_Sebastian_!"

It was the first time in a long time that William had raised his voice. But the terrified shriek that left his mouth rattled the room. He felt a pair of hands begin to pull him away towards the door and William began to fight, determined to stay at Sebastian's side. Then there were two sets of hands pulling him.

The two individuals that were holding him back were Eric and Pops. The elder Reaper had been one of few who Eric and Alan notified when Sebastian went into labor. Along with him was Grell Sutcliff, who had been strictly ordered to wait in the living room.

The doctor never reassured him that Sebastian would be alright, only urging him to wait outside the room so he could stop the bleeding and revive the demon.


	17. Chapter 16: A Sacrifice For Sebastian

Chapter 16: A Sacrifice for Sebastian

William lost all track of time, waiting in the hallway outside the bedroom door. There was no noise coming from inside the room, making him worry all the more. His own skin had gone pale with fear. He knew their son was safe and that he was healthy, but he couldn't see himself capable of living if the doctor couldn't revive Sebastian.

The four other Reapers—Eric, Alan, Pops, and Grell—looked on, not a single one of them daring to say something.

Suddenly the bedroom door opened and the doctor appeared. The downhearted look he carried on his face—a look of failure and self-blame—reported the worst. He had not been able to revive Sebastian.

"I tried everything, Mr. Spears." He said quietly, "But I'm afraid the labor was too much for him."

William felt every inch of his being go numb. It was a feeling worse than when Sebastian had been attacked by the contract he had formed with Giles Miller, and at realizing that terrible fact, the Reaper sank to his knees and cried.

The Reapers looking on watched in mournful silence. Even the overly-dramatic Grell was found to be as silent as death; abnormally so. To see a superior Reaper fall to his knees and weep like a woman, they could all see now just how great a love William had had for Sebastian.

Although he knew it would be better for him to remain silent until William had calmed down, the doctor spoke up.

"There is one more thing I could try, but I need permission to do so; your permission specifically, Mr. Spears."

With watery eyes, William looked up, "What is it?"

"There is a type of spell I can use for this sort of situation. If you'll let me cast it, Sebastian will be brought back within the hour; healthy and alive. However, as you know, every spell has a price. As a sacrifice for allowing me to bring Sebastian back, your memory will be erased of him. You'll have no memory of him or the child or anything that happened between you two before."

William thought over what he had just been told.

"Will he still have his memory of me? Will he remember how much I love him and how much I actually care for him?"

"He will."

William nodded, "Please… anything, as long as he's alive."

The doctor retuned the nod, "I'll allow you to say your good-byes, if you'd like."

William nodded once more and entered the quiet bedroom alone.

Sebastian lay on the bed in much the same position William had seen him in when he was forcefully removed from the room. The demon's eyes were open and pointed up towards the ceiling, but they didn't see the ceiling, nor did they blink. His mouth hung open, scarlet blood trails patterned his lower jaw and pale lips. He was still and William could no longer see the demonic, black aura Sebastian had about him; he could only feel the warm, familiar presence of the man he loved.

"Oh, Sebastian…" William wept, kneeling over and taking the demon's body in his arms and pressing several kisses softly to his forehead. He soon calmed himself so he could continue, "I'm not sure if you can hear me right now, but… this is important. I hope you know that I love you… that I'll always love you, even if I forget. Even if it takes eternity to do so, you _will_ find a way to get me to remember. Do you promise me?"

The blank stare of a dead man and his silence was the only reply William ever received, but something deep inside the Reaper told him that Sebastian had heard him and that he understood.

A movement beside him caught William's attention.

There was a tiny bundle curled up in a goose down pillow at Sebastian's side, and in that tiny bundle lay a tiny infant.

William scooped up the baby and held him close to his chest. The baby made a small noise and he opened his large eyes to gaze at the one who moved him. William was amazed to find that this child had neither the red eyes of a demon nor the bright green eyes of a Reaper. No, this child bore eyes of a golden color; aurum, like two brilliant coins. They were a color of which William had never seen before.

The baby didn't make much noise as he looked over William's face, only adjusting position within the bundle and making a soft noise at the movement.

"You…" William said, smiling warmly at his son, "Faustus… don't cause your father too much trouble, okay? You're all he'll have for a while."

The baby made a soft humming noise and stretched his tiny mouth in a long yawn. William set the bundle back down where he had been curled up before and drew his attention back to Sebastian. He pushed the demon's eyelids closed and kissed his forehead softly once more.

"I love you, Sebastian Michaelis. I love _you_… with all my heart."


End file.
